Buffing and polishing machine.



A. B. NUTTING.

BUFFING AND POLISHING MACHINE.- APPLIOA'IION FILED mm. 15, 190B. RENEWEDAPR. 20, 1910.

Patented Oct. 18, 1910.

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, WNTTED STATES FATENT @EFTQE.

ALFRED B. NUTTING, or SALISBURY, lvrassaclrusnrrs.

BUFFING AND POLISHING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 15, 1908, Serial No. 416,135. Renewed April20, 1910. Serial No. 555,619.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED B. NUTTING, a citizen of the United States,residing at Salisbury, in the county of Essex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBufiing and Polishing Machines, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to buffing and polishing machines or machines forallied uses, and particularlyto such machines provided with a main shaftcarrying buffing or polishing wheels at both ends.

One of the inconveniences incident to machines having a main shaftprovided with buffing or polishing wheels at both ends is that both ofthe polishing wheels being fast upon the said main shaft, it isnecessary to stop Work with one wheel when the wheel at the other end ofthe shaft has to be changed. These bufiing wheels or pads have to bechanged quite frequently, sometimes every few minutes in order to adjustbuffers of the proper shape to the work being done. As it requires sometime to change a Wheel and as the work at the other end of the machinehas to be stopped at the same time, the loss of time on the machine isconsiderable and the delay of great inconvenience.

The object of my present invention is to remedy the above mentionedtroubles and to provide a double-ended buffing machine of the typecommonly used by jewelers and like workers wherein the polishing orbufling .wheels are independent of each other and adapted to be quicklythrown into or out of engagement with the main shaft inclependently ofeach other,-a further object being to provide a friction clutchconnection between the wheel and the shaft to take up any jar incidentto the throwing of one of the wheels into engagement with the mainshaft, and of such a nature as not to retard the rotation thereof yet atthe same time to provide a sufliciently long and steady bearing for thewheels that they may run absolutely true and with a minimum of friction.

To this end my invention consists in the arrangement of parts anddetails of construction as set forth in the accompanying drawings andparticularly specified in the claims appended.

. In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation partly sectional of theupper portion of a polishing machine of the type commonly used byjewelers and silver workers, but embodying the improvements I havedevised. Fig. 2 is a section of the main shaft and the clutch engagingtherewith on line XX of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a cross section on line YY ofFig. 1.

Like numerals throughout the several views designate like parts.

14 designates the lower half of a journal box and 1 1 the upper halfthereof, both of the usual construct-ion except that the upper half ofthe box contains a well 15 for lubricants as will be hereafterdescribed. There are two of these journal boxes opposed to each otherand mounted upon standards 14? of any suitable supporting frame.

1 designates the central main driving shaft which projects through eachjournal box and is rotatable therein, the middle of said shaft beingprovided with a band wheel 17 of any desired form from which a band, notshown, runs to any suitable driving mechanism. This wheel is, of course,fixed upon the driving shaft 1.

The driving shaft 1 is formed with annular shoulders l which as will behereinafter explained, center and practically act as thrust collars tohold the shaft in its longitudinal position with relation to thebearings. The driving shaft 1 projects any suit- Patented Get. 18, 1910.

able distance beyond the end of the journal 7 box 14, and fitting overeach end of the said shaft is a tubular shaft 2 which surrounds the endsof the driving shaft and is supported directly in the journal box 14:.The outer end of this shaft is provided with a suitable means to whichthe ordinary buffing wheels 2 are adapted to be attached in the usualmanner. The inner end of the tubular shaft is formed with a shoulder 2out wardly projecting a slight distance and bearing against the shoulder1 of the driving shaft 1. The inside diameter of the tubular shaft 2 andthe outside diameter of the driving shaft 1 are so proportioned that anoil space 3 is left between them and surrounding the said shaft 1. Thisoil space communicates by a duct 16 passing through the bottom of theoil reservoir 15 (that is, the upper section of the journal box). Thetubular shaft 2 is provided with an opening l adapted to register withthe duct 16 and communicates with the oil space 3. Thus any oil withinthe reservoir 15 finds its way through the duct 16 to the space 3 andthus lubricates the main driving shaft and the with the end of thebearing 14, let and holds the said shaft in position.

Attached to the extreme inner end of the tubular shaft and thereforeabutting against the shoulder 2 is the annular shell or casing 6 closedon its outer end by a flange which projects inward to the exterior ofthe tubular shaft and opened at its inner end adjacent to the band wheel17. This forms one member and a casing for a friction clutch. Anothermember of the friction clutch is formed by a spiral fiat spring 5located inside the shell 6 and encircling the shaft 1. This spring whenthe friction clutch is not operatively arranged encircles the drivingshaft.

One end of the spring, preferably the lower is turned outward as at 5and has engagement with the side of a recess 6 in the casing (3 (throughset screw 8). The other end of the spring is turned outward as at 5 atright angles but is formed with a beveled exterior face. This beveledexterior face is adapted to engage with the end of a pivoted finger 9having a beveled interior face which therefore wedges against it whenthe beveled end thereof moves downward or toward the driving shaft. Atits other end 5 the spring 5 is engaged by a set screw 8 by which thenormal tension of the spring around the driving shaft 1 may be adjusted.

The finger 9 projects out through a slot 6* in the end of the casing 6and contacts with the curved or beveled wedge face of a clutch ring 10.This ring is shiftable upon the exterior of tubular shaft 2 and issplined thereto by a key 11.

12 designates a shipper which is attached to the ring 10 by screws 12and it is pivoted at 12 on a bracket hereafter referred to. The forwardend of the ring is provided with a handle 12 projecting out through thecasing of the machine. It will now be seen that by throwing the ring 10inward or toward the finger 9, the outer end of the fin ger 9 will beforced outward and the inner end toward the shaft, when its wedgelikeface will contact with the wedgelike projection 5 of the spring 5, thustightening the spring around the driving shaft 1. The revolution ofdrivin shaft 1 will thus be communicated to the spring and the fingerthrough the slot 6 will communicate this motion to the casing 6 and tothe tubular shaft 2.

Surrounding and inclosing the bearing 14 and the clutch elements 10, 11and 6, is the casing 18 and 18 respectively. The casing 18 surrounds theclutch elements and the casing 18 the journal box. This casing is madein an upper and a lower part, the upper part being pivoted as at 18* andprovided with a handle 18 whereby it may be raised. It is slotted forthe passage of the handle 12 as shown in Fig. 1 and is pref erablyprovided on its exterior with a pivoted latch 19 formed with a middledownwardly projecting tooth 19. By raising the latch the handle may beshifted to the other extremity of the slot and will then be dropped, thetooth holding the handle in place in either position. The lower part ofthe casing is formed with a bracket 19 to which the shipper lever 12 ispivoted as at 12". It is of course to be understood that the frictionclutch and bearing on both sides are inclosed by these casings 18 18.

The operation of my construction is as follows: The drivin shaft 1normally re volves at high speed and the shipper levers 12 being thrownoutward, both the bufiing wheels and their tubular shafts are out ofngagement and remain idle. hen, however, it is desired to use thebutting wheels, the shipper levers, either or both, are thrown inward.This in each case tightens the spring surrounding the driving shaft 1and the frictional engagement between the driving shaft and the springcommunicates the motion of said driving shaft to the tubular shafts 2.The object of the spring clutch is to permit the tubular shaft to bethrown into engagement with the driving shaft gradually so that thebuffing wheels may gradually accelerate until they reach the speed ofrotation of the main shaft without any shock or ar or without anyretarding of the rotation of the main shaft. This is a most importantpoint as the main driving shaft is run at a very high speed and it wouldnot only tend to damage the machine to throw the tubular shaft intosudden engagement with the driving shaft but it also would tend to checkthe rotation of the tubular shaft on the opposite side. By myconstruction all jar is prevented, while at the same time a suflicientpositive engagement is secured to communicate an absolutely positivemotion to the buffing wheels. This again is a necessity because of thepressure that is brought to bear upon the bu'fling wheels and theconsequent tendency to prevent their rotation. The pulley 17 beinglocated between the two casings 18, 18 the belt may be taken either fromthe top or bottom or from the sides. The clutch mechanism is entirelyprotected from dust by the casings 18, 18 yet the casings may be easilyopened for repair or adjustment of the parts. The lubricant wells 15maintain the long bearing between the tubular shaft and the drivingshaft. constantly supplied with oil by the entraining action of thesurfaces thus avoiding any undue friction.

The adjusting screw 8 is for the purpose of taking up wear and to permitthe spring to be adjusted to varying degrees of slackness upon the maindriving shaft.

Having described my invention what I claim is:

1. In a machine of the class described, a main drivin -shaft, buttingwheels located one at each end of the main shaft but independent thereofand of each other, said bulling wheels being carried by independentshafts, and clutch mechanism cooperating with said main and independentshafts whereby either of the latter may be thrown into rotatableengagement with the said driving-shaft.

2. In a machine of the class described, a main driving-shaft,butling-wheel shafts carrying butting wheels located one at each end ofthe driving-shaft, the inner ends of said shafts and the recessed outerends of said driving-shaft at all times having a concentric bearingengagement with each other,

and means whereby the said butting-wheel shafts are adapted to be movedeach independent of the other into or out of engagement with thedrivingshaft.

In a machine of the class described, a main shaft, work shafts carryingtools and surrounding and located one at each end of the driving-shaft,and clutch mechanism cooperating with said main and tool shafts andadapted to throw either of the tool shafts into or out of engagementwith the driving-shaft.

4. In a machine of the class described, a main drivingshaft, buflingwheels lo cated one at each end of the driving-shaft but independentthereof and of each other and each provided with a tubular shaft intowhich an end of the said driving-shaft enters, and clutch mechanismcooperating with said main and tubular shafts and adapted to throweither of the buffing wheels into engagement with the saiddriving-shafts.

5. In a machine of the class described, a main driving-shaft, buflingwheels located one at each end of the main shaft and independent thereofand of each other, a tubu lar shaft on. each of the butting wheelssurrounding the end of the main shaft and freely rotatable concentrictherewith, and clutch mechanism integral therewith and looselysurrounding the driving-shaft, and a collar surrounding said tubularshafts movable longitudinally thereon and engaging the clutch mechanismto throw either of the butting wheels into engagement with thedriving-shaft.

6. In a machine of the class described, a shaft composed of threeindependent sections concentric with each other, two of said sectionscarrying buffing wheels and the other section having means whereby itmay be rotated, and means adapted to throw either of the bufling wheelsinto engagement with the rotatable section.

7. In a machine of the class described, a shaft composed of threeindependent sec tions concentric with each other, two of said sectionscarrying butling wheels and the other section having means whereby itmay be rotated, and means for gradually imparting rotating motion to theother two sections.

8, In a machine of the class described, a rotatable shaft made in threeindependent sections concentric with each other, two of said sectionscarrying bufling wheels and the other section having means whereby itmay be rotated, spiral resilient band loosely surrounding one of saidsections and attached at one end to another of said sections, and meanscarried by one of said sections for tightening said band upon the othersections to the end that both sections may be rotated together.

9. In a machine of the class described, a rotatable shaft made in threeindependent sections concentric with each other, two of said sectionscarrying bufling wheels and the other section having means whereby itmay be rotated, a spiral resilient band loosely surrounding one of saidsections and attached at one end to another of said sections, a lever towhich the other end of said band is connected, and means attached to andmovable upon one of said sections for mov ing said lever to tighten theband upon the section which it surrounds.

10.111 a machine of the class described, a rotatable driving-shaft,bufling wheels located one at each end of the driving-shaft andindependent thereof and of each other, a tubular shafton each one of thebuffing wheels surrounding the driving-shaft and rotatable thereon, aresilient spiral band for each one of the buffing shafts looselysurrounding the driving-shaft, one end of said spiral band beingattached to the said tubular shaft, the other end of said spiral bandhaving means whereby it may be acted upon to draw the band tight uponthe drivingshaft.

11. In a machine of the class described, a rotatable driving-shaft,bulling wheels located one on each end of the driving-shaft andindependent thereof and of each other, a tubular shaft on each one ofthe butting wheels surrounding the driving-shaft and rotatable thereon,a resilient spiral band for each one of the bufiing shafts looselysurrounding the driving-shaft, one end of said spiral band beingattached to the said tubular shaft, the other end of said spiral bandbeing provided with an extension having a wedge-shaped face on one sidethereof, a pivoted lever having a wedge-shaped end contacting with thewedge-shaped face of the band and projecting toward the adjacent tubularshaft for moving said projecting end of the lever outward or inward,thereby tightening or loosening the spiral band upon the driving-shaft.

12. In a machine of the class described, a rotatable driving-shaft,buffing wheels located one at each end of the driving-shaft andindependent thereof and of each other, a tubular shaft on each one ofthe bufiing wheels surrounding the driving-shaft and rotatable thereon,a casing attached to said tubular shaft and projecting annularly aroundthe driving-shaft, a resilient spiral band located within the saidcasing and loosely surrounding the drivingshaft, the other end of saidspiral band being provided with an extension having a wedge-shaped faceon one side thereof, a lever pivoted to said casing and having awedge-shaped end contacting with the wedge-shaped face of the band andprojecting out through said casing toward the adjacent tubular shaft,and a longitudinally shiftable ring rotatable with said tubular shaftadapted to engage with said lever to so move it that its wedgeshapedface will contact with the wedgeshaped extension of the spiral band tocontract the same upon the driving-shaft.

13. In a machine of the class described, a

driving-shaft and bufing wheels at each end thereof independent of thedriving-shaft and of each other, each of said buffing wheels having atubular shaft surrounding the end of said main driving shaft andprojecting inward over the same, the exterior diameters of the ends ofthe driving-shaft and the interior diameters of the said tubular shaftsbeing so proportioned that an oil space is left between the two,journal-bearings at each end of the machine in which the tubular shaftsrotate, oil reservoirs on said journalbearings each having a passageleading in said face adapted to register with the oil opening of thejournal-box and leading to the inside of said tubular shaft, thedriving-shaft being independently rotatable from each of said tubularshafts, and means whereby either or both of said tubular shafts may bethrown into or out of rotatable engagement with said driving-shaft.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses, this second day of January 1908.

ALFRED B. NUTTING. lVitnesses Hanvnr t. NUTTING, ARTHUR V. CHASE.

